Normality
by Mirazhe1
Summary: Naruto was never quite the normal little boy. And now, growing up, things seem to be getting just a LITTLE out of hand...


I will state now that this is a largely neutral story. I have no idea where its going or what's going to happen past (perhaps) chapter 3 or 4. Hell, Im not even sure about the title.

Sooo, thats why I have you readers. Suggest anything, anything at all, an idea, a situation, quote, a CHAPTER, whatever you want, and Ill see if I can fit it in. Baring, of coarse, lemons and too much romance. Ive already done and picked Hinata to be Naruto's prefered female in this story, but whether or not it will be romantic is up to you guys.

So Review! And tell me what happens next. I have three base chapter's set up, but putting them all together right next to eachother would move the story along a bit (ok, wayy) too fast. If I get no suggestions, this story will go nowhere fast, and eventually disappear under that nice little "remove" button in my account. Not that many of us will care, but Im sure there are those special few that might like this story.

* * *

Normality

Chapter 1

Mirazhe1

Naruto never considered himself to be a normal boy. This was obvious, being the Kyuubi vessel, but even as a child he had a deep rooted fear that, even as an orphan, he was abnormal. It was easy to tell, even for his short expanse of knowledge. The whispers, the stares, a lack of parents... that odd warmth (of hope, he had once thought as a younger child and before graduating) ever residing in his belly. Of coarse, he didn't know this until after he had graduated, and in the end, it only enhanced his feeling of abnormality... Inhumanity... His feeling of being an outcast... And a monster. 

But no matter! Naruto always reassured himself, or at least in his less civilized slang of an orphan that never properly learned proper speech (datte bayo!!). He would fight through it! He would show everyone (including, subconsciously, himself) that he was human, he wasn't an outcast everyone should shun, and most of all that he was normal... At least, normal as a fox vessel driving to become Hokage could be.

But of course, being the abnormal little boy Naruto was, circumstances were going to make it a bit more difficult for him.

* * *

Naruto glared stubbornly at the toothbrush and hastily-applied-toothpaste he held up before him. Damned Sasuke-teme, always getting the better end of the deal... He couldn't help but think as he oh so carefully ascended the little brushy utensil to his pearly whites. 

For the past many months Team Seven had been going through a few... Changes. After Naruto brought Sasuke home from the Valley of the End (brutally, might I add), and after extensive treatment from Tsunade to remove the seal (With Sasuke becoming just a little clearer of mind but just a little moodier. They had a long ways to go still), Team Seven had been brought back into effect under careful watch under ANBU guard for the first couple months. So now, just as the ANBU guard was disappearing (FINALLY, as the Uchiha would secretly think. It had taken a little under a year, and Naruto along with Sakura had become Chunin, as he was unable to take the exam while under guard), and leaving the poor Uchiha to himself, that Team was beginning to go through a state of change.

Namely, puberty.

Of coarse, the children, or should I say "Young Adults", were not happy about this.

Kakashi, however, found it highly amusing.

In the natural order of things, Sakura was the first. Following so diligently after her mentor, she was quickly growing ample curves as ninja training chiseled away her baby fat. It had hurt her chances at Sasuke, when experiencing a growth spurt, she had been just that tiny bit taller than Sasuke for a short period of time. It hardly fazed Naruto, always being the shortest of the group. It had been an awkward time, including a few experiences surely deserving to be S-Class secrets.

Sasuke, of coarse, had been next. He grew slowly, but steadily (and for all they knew, still growing), something that irked him to no end, but it just recently estinguished that jealousy of Sakura being that little bit taller. His already deep voice was hardly cracking (the highest it's gone yet was Naruto's impression of Sasuke's voice; which wasn't that high, considering how much practice the fox vessel had at mocking and making fun of the other boy) and becoming even deeper, which of course, made Sakura swoon and Naruto jealous to no end.

And Naruto, not to be overdone by Sasuke, had come last. Experiencing random growth spurts (insane ones at that, sometimes growing a half an inch overnight) that were quickly putting him near Sasuke's highth (and potential above), he was no longer the shortest of the group, placing him over Sakura's shorter stature. Naruto was overjoyed. Voice cracking had hardly been a problem, which was no doubt Kyuubi's doing, not that the vessel was complaining. In all, it seemed to be going smoothly for Naruto.

Um, not really.

Said fox vessel scowled as he looked in the mirror, having finished brushing his teeth. Even shaggier than normal hair was reflected in the old glass, along with thicker than normal whiskers. His scowl deepened.

Oh yes, while his normal growth was going as smooth as silk, Naruto was having a few more... Problems that his teammates had ever had, he was sure.

Namely the fact that his canines were growing.

Rapidly.

Well, for teeth anyway, he was sure. Even with his inexperience in dentistry (he had never once gone to the dentist, as the shriveled old man seemed to hate him), he was sure teeth didn't grow that fast. He had already had gone through two toothbrushes ruined and three hours picking the little bristles out of his teeth. Soon, if he wasn't careful, the long fangs might accidentally start poking over, or even through, his lower lip.

Along with the fact, even though he kept clipping his nails short every night (almost to the quick), by the next afternoon they would be back to the original length, and grow more by the end of the night.

Sure he could remove the evidence by clipping his nails and all, but filing teeth? No thanks, he'd take fangs over accidentally loosing a tooth that would never come back (Kyuubi or not) any day. Besides, Kiba had fangs and he wasn't a freak.

Ah yes, but also, Kiba's ears were not slowly becoming pointed. And in recent weeks, furred.

At first, Naruto had noticed all of these things off handed, distracted, and had quickly dismissed them. An accidental bite to the lip or a scratch on the arm here. The slight itching of his ears or whiskers there. But they were getting worse.

Much worse.

As in, having-to-wear-a-Henge-constantly worse.

And Naruto was becoming very worried at the odd itching of his lower back and hindquarters.

Very worried, indeed.

* * *

Preforming a quick Henge (how he loathed Henges, they itch terribly after a long while), Naruto exited his apartment and locked up behind him. Stuffing his key into his pocket, he silently hoped, as he did every morning, that his apartment would be there when he got home. He hopped to the rooftops, loping, jogging and jumping (occasionally on all fours), taking his time to make it to the training field.

When he finally did make it, Sakura and Sasuke where already waiting.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan! Sasuke-teme!" The duo turned, Sakura rolling her eyes in a sisterly way, while Sasuke just stared dispassionately. Already his face was becoming even more angular as the weeks went on. More and more like a, "Gag" Naruto would put it, model. Not that his sharp face could compare to Naruto's after he lost his baby fat. All that was left of Naruto's was a triangular, yet soft, face that looked like a mix between a fox's face or, suspiciously, Yondaime's.

"Not so loud in the morning, dope," Sasuke replied easily. Naruto merely growled, and they all settled down to wait.

And wait.

And wait.

And wait some more until their ever prudent sensei showed up. This of coarse allowed many things to be done. One, could have been socialization between the teammates. But Sasuke being strictly ANTI-social and Sakura just generally always annoyed with him, Naruto voted against that. Two, could have trained. But it would become increasingly difficult later on to hold a Henge and fight at the same time, so conservation of energy sounded like his best bet. Three, was just sit and think. Not the most appealing of choices but certainly the easiest.

His mind still stuck on the subject of fighting in Henge, Naruto immediately thanked whatever higher entity there was that Kakashi had not noticed his disguise yet. Or maybe he did and just hadn't mentioned it. Either way, even as minor as the discrepancies were now, they were very noticable (namely, his ears and whiskers) and becoming even more bold as the days and weeks went on. Soon, he would have to go to Tsunade for that Genjutsu of hers if this kept up.

A jolting ache in his hindquarters propelled Naruto from his thoughts, moving his hand to rub the ache that was quickly turning into a tingling itch. Sakura noticed.

"Jeeze, Naruto, don't scratch yourself in public, that's disgusting!" She reprimanded loudly.

"But, Sakura-chan," he whined, not bothering with an explanation. It'd be way to complicated. They all fell into contented silence, too tired in the early morning to really argue. The light scritchhhhing of Naruto's already long nails (of which the vessel knew would be talons by the end of the night) against the wood bridge railing failed to reach the duo's ears in the early morning din of birds, breeze and rustling trees. Already there was a inch deep indent in the wood where for the past few days the vessel had been (in a futile attempt) trying to file down his ever growing claws in his spare time.

With a poof and an extra large scrap of wood shaved off in surprise, Kakashi appeared in the middle of the bridge, hands lazily stuffed in his pockets as he slouched there. The normal morning (or afternoon by now)ritual commenced, of which Im sure you all know by now. With that said and done, the Team headed off to receive their assignments.

* * *

Naruto rushed home across the rooftops in a flurry, his hands clenched so hard that visible talons (quickly changing things were almost impossible to hide under even the most intricate henge, such as bleeding wounds and, in Naruto's case, rapidly growing nails. Lucky for him, his teammates had failed to notice his talons... Yet) dug into his palms.

Shit shit shit shit!! Naruto cursed. Sasuke was suspicious, he was sure of it. His little discrepancies (quickly becoming larger) to hide his appearance, such as conserving energy for his triple layered Henge or odd rubbing of hindquarters, were tipping Sasuke off. Nothing got past those damned Uchiha eyes, Sharingan or not.

Still cursing, Naruto slammed shut his front door as he made it to his apartment, locking up and immediately ridding himself of the Henge with a contented sigh.

"Finally," he sighed happily, shaking himself much like a dog would, his almost-fox ears twitching as his shaggy blonde hair tickled them. Maneuvering toward the kitchen, he quickly prepared some ramen to rest and rejuvenate for the trip back to the training grounds to do the afternoon rounds.

* * *

Sasuke scowled at the retreating back of his teammate, rival and friend. Something was up, he was almost positive. While the other boy was as normal as could be (well... At least as normal as Naruto can get anyway), something was off. Less confrontations, more caution. That odd scratching noise as they waited for Kakashi, only to disappear as the Uchiha looked up. A constant fidgeting, almost of discomfort.

Sasuke idly pondered the thought that just maybe Naruto was finally growing up. It was quickly dismissed, however, as it seemed the blonde, in all other areas was exactly the same. A quick Sharingan-ed glance, though, only heightened the suspicion as he saw the tell tale glow of a henge, and a strong one at that. At least double layered, as he couldn't see the usual silhouette of the figure beneath the illusion.

And for the dope to Henge himself so carefully, pactiently, he must be hiding something big.

And Sasuke was going to find out what.

* * *

Sigh. All done. Remember guys, review and shout out ideas of any kind! 


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